1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for use by individuals, known as ostomates, whom require the use of an ostomy appliance device for the collection of bodily waste materials. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus to assist ostomates in the maintenance of their ostomy and ostomy appliances.
2. Description of Prior Art
Many individuals for various medical reasons, not relevant herein, require that their digestive or urinary tracts be surgically terminated or altered at some point and brought through and attached to their abdominal wall to provide a new opening to expel their bodily waste products. This new opening is referred to as a stoma and the individual is know referred to as an ostomate.
The basic types of ostomy surgeries the present invention deals with are the colostomy, ileostomy and urostomy. A colostomy, for example, is a surgical procedure re-routing the large intestine and bringing an end out a small opening and attaching to the abdominal wall. An ileostomy is a surgical procedure re-routing the small intestine or ileum to bring the end out a small opening and attaching to the abdominal wall. Urostomies are the surgical re-routing of the urinary tract to expel bodily waste products through a stoma.
These surgical procedures can be either temporary or permanent, depending upon reason(s) for surgery and amount of existing tract left after surgery.
The ostomate has no control over when the stoma will expel bodily waste materials. Thus, the ostomate must utilize an ostomy appliance device to collect and store their bodily waste products expelled by their stoma until such a time the ostomate can empty their ostomy appliance device.
Ostomy appliance devices can be either disposable or of the reusable type and usually consist of three (3) components. The first a faceplate or flange which is adhered to the abdominal wall surrounding the stoma. This faceplate or flange can be worn anywhere from one up to several days depending upon appliance type or model, condition of skin underneath, and the level of activity the ostomate is subject to. The second component is a receptacle or pouch which is fastened to the faceplate or flange to collect and retain the bodily waste products after they are expelled from the stoma. The bottom of most pouches are formed with an opening to permit drainage of the pouch once it has filled. The third component is a clip-type device to allow the opening and closing of the pouch opening for drainage purposes.
Heretofore, when an ostomate removes their ostomy appliance for replacement or other reasons, a number of significant problems arise. Most ostomates have no control over their stoma and when they remove their ostomy appliance, the stoma may expel bodily waste materials uncontrollably. This is referred to as stomal discharge. When the ostomy appliance is removed for replacement or other reasons there is nothing there to receive the stomal discharge resulting in unsanitary, sometimes odorous and unpleasant clean-up measures afterwards, if awkward steps are not followed.
One method of removal and replacement is for the ostomate to sit backwards on a toilet with the ostomy appliance over the bowl of the toilet. This method is very awkward and in most cases unsanitary and unpleasant as well as very time consuming.
Another method is to remove and replace their ostomy appliance after bathing while still in the bathtub or shower stall. Again a mess can be created by stomal discharge although clean-up measures may be a little easier. There are drawbacks when using this method also for an ostomate might slip and fall on the slick surfaces of a shower stall or bathtub causing a serious injury to the ostomate. Also the ostomate must make sure the skin surface surrounding the stoma is dry before installing a new appliance or it won't adhere correctly.
And still another method of ostomy appliance removal and replacement is to lean forward over a sink or bathroom basin with the appliance over the front edge of the sink or basin. The ostomy appliance may then be removed and the stoma must then be kept over the front edge of the sink or basin to catch any stomal discharge that occurs. This method is the best to my knowledge, but there are still unpleasant clean-up measures to be performed once finished with ostomy appliance removal and replacement.
Another problem arising when the ostomy appliance has been removed is the time spent on proper hygiene of the stoma region. Proper hygiene is crucial to the stoma and the surrounding skin. If not enough time is spent on hygiene an irritation or infection can cause medical problems that must be dealt with by a physician or qualified nurse. Age, health, handicap and skin condition of the stoma region all play a significant role in the length of time the ostomy appliance will be off. Thus, the longer the ostomy appliance is off the greater the chances are of stomal discharge to occur.
Furthermore, there is the psychological adjustment period after surgery the new ostomate must face up to. This period is crucial to the self-image of the new ostomate, having to face the fact that their body has been changed both physically and functionally and must now take care of something thing totally new to them. Books, support groups, and medical personnel have been the only means the new ostomate has of learning how to deal with their stoma. Until the new ostomate gets accustomed to removing and replacing their ostomy appliance with confidence of a good seal they need all the assurance they can get that their ostomy appliance is correctly in place and should not leak. This is usually accomplished by spending a lot of time on stomal maintenance and replacement of their ostomy appliance which results in stomal discharge occurring and creating messes to be cleaned up afterwards. The more messes a new ostomate makes while performing maintenance on their ostomy and ostomy appliance the harder it is and the longer it takes them to adjust to this new life style. It takes a long time to gain confidence and learn how to become efficient and avoid making a large mess while maintaining their ostomy and ostomy appliance correctly.
And still another problem facing the ostomate is the sanitary disposal of all refuse involved in the removal and replacement of their ostomy appliance and other maintenance procedures performed. Most of the refuse involved (used appliance, tape, wrappers, etc.) can not be flushed down the toilet, but must be discarded in the trash can. This is unsanitary and can become very odorous.
There is also the problem of keeping ostomy supplies from view of others. Ostomates are sensitive about having had their ostomy surgery and try to conceal all aspects of having had surgery from others not knowing of their ostomy, even their supplies are kept from view of others. Usually the ostomate keeps a drawer in the bathroom for their ostomy supplies, but their is always that nosy person that must look in everything.
The traveling ostomate also has that same problem of keeping ostomy supplies out of view of others while having those supplies close at hand in case of an emergency.
Yet still another problem the ostomate faces is while removing and replacing their ostomy appliance the need to move about the house may arise, for example answering the telephone or tending to a small child or infant. In this situation the ostomate would be unprotected from stomal discharge and the mess it may cause unless the stoma is covered with a towel or wash cloth and held there by hand.
Physicians also have a problem when seeing a patient who is an ostomate. If the physician needs the ostomate to remove their ostomy appliance for an examination, the physician must use towels or sheets to cover the ostomate to protect them from stomal discharge.
Most ostomates, therefore would find it desirable to have the present invention for use in the removal and replacing of their ostomy appliance and other maintenance procedures, involving their stoma and ostomy appliances, while having to deal with the for-mentioned problems.